STRETCH DRIVE WILL BE A LONG AUDITION FOR CONFUSING CANUCKS
If you cast your mind back to the start of this NHL season, you’ll recall any sense of optimism in the Vancouver Canucks revolved around a dozen or so players who were in their early to mid-20s.
Those players, the theory went, were entering their peak years and while nobody expected the group to take a giant leap together, it was reasonable to think some would emerge as difference-makers in 2017-18.
The Canucks have now played 56 games with that group. On Tuesday, head coach Travis Green suggested he isn’t any closer to knowing what he has in his millennials and that uncertainty makes the next 26 games crucial to this franchise.
“For sure,” he said, before adding, “Quite frankly, if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.”
Which was an unusual time to quote Eldridge Cleaver but, as you may be aware, these are unusual times for Green’s team.
The Canucks, and stop us if this sounds familiar, start their final stretch staring down the barrel of another disastrous regular season. Before tonight’s meeting with the Florida Panthers, they sit in 28th place in the B.C. Lions general manager Ed Hervey is a man of his word.
When he was hired, he promised to reshape this CFL team from the core — on the offensive and defensive lines — by adding grit and physicality.
Check and check.
Of the team’s last 15 transactions at the start of the day, 11 were linemen.
On Tuesday, the opening day of free agency, the Lions signed offensive linemen Jeremy Lewis and Joel Figueroa, both of whom will occupy international roster spots.
That makes it six O-linemen either signed or re-signed in the past two weeks and seven defensive linemen signed since the start of January.
The 6-6, 320-pound Figueroa comes to B.C. after spending his last two seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos, and has played 44 regular-season games and eight playoff games in his five pro seasons.
“Joel brings a level of physicality and the kind of gritty attitude that we need to add to our offensive line,” Hervey said in a release. “He’s absolutely committed to doing everything it takes to protect the quarterback.”
Lewis is entering his fifth CFL season, spending 2017 in Montreal NHL, which is bad enough. But the scary thing is they’re also at a point in their season where they’ve folded like a cheap lawn chair in each of the past two campaigns.
Somehow, some way, the cumulative effect of losing turned Valentine’s Day into the point of no return for the Canucks in Willie Desjardins’ last two years. Last season they went 5-18-3 after Feb. 14. The year before, they were 9-17-1.
Now they stand at the same place again. So what makes anyone think it will be different this time around?
Again, we look back to the 20-somethings.
Dragging this team back toward the light might be a big ask for the Canucks’ younger players, but it’s not like the organization has a lot of choice in the matter. The problem is, beyond Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat, Green is unclear on what he has with players such as Ben Hutton, Jake Virtanen, Sven Baertschi, Derrick Pouliot, Troy Stecher, Erik Gudbranson and Nic Dowd.
The list should also include Markus Granlund, likely done for the season with an ankle injury, and Brendan Gaunce, who is out for a couple of weeks at least. Still, Green has call-ups Reid Boucher, Nikolay Goldobin, Philip Holm and Darren Archibald to consider, which makes this stretch drive one long audition for a number of players.
“We haven’t had the consistency we want (this season), but and the previous three with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He and Figueroa played together in Hamilton in the 2014 and 2015 seasons, as well as overlapping their NCAA careers at the University of Miami.
“Jeremy is another experienced and physical offensive tackle who brings an edge to the position,” said Hervey. “He’s going to give us some needed depth and will absolutely compete for a starting spot in camp.”
Also signing on Tuesday was defensive tackle Euclid Cummings, late of the Eskimos. He recorded 21 defensive tackles, eight sacks and three forced fumbles with the Esks last season. In 53 career games he’s recorded 62 tackles and 19 sacks.
“Euclid is a young, up-and-coming lineman who definitely has the ability and potential to be one of the most dominant interior players in the league,” Hervey said of the Georgia Tech product, who began his career with the Toronto Argonauts in 2014 and played two seasons there before moving to Winnipeg in 2016.
“He’s equally skilled at playing the run and getting to the quarterback and never takes a play off.”
Fourth-year defensive back A.J. Jefferson signed a one-year deal with the team. The six-foot, 190-pounder has played 32 regular-season that’s part of it when you’re a team that’s growing and trying to get better,” Green said. “You’re going to have inconsistency throughout your lineup from your forwards to your Ds right down to your goalies. They understand we’re a team that is trying to get better and there are going to be changes. There are always going to be changes when you’re at our stage.”
Those changes will likely begin at the NHL trade deadline on Feb. 26, but it also figures that will be a constant theme through the off-season.
The Canucks are looking at eight restricted free agents who all belong to the 20-something club and all have something to prove over the next two months.
“Every guy in here wants to prove themselves to the other players in this locker-room,” said 23-year-old defenceman Ben Hutton, one of the bubble guys. “They want to prove they’re good players; that they belong in this league and they deserve a lot of ice time.
“These last 20-something games are going to prove a lot.”
OK, the Canucks might have hoped the first 56 would have settled some of the arguments. As it is, it’s difficult to know who’s in the rebuild and who’s out, especially with the next wave of prospects prepared to join this team.
“Young guys have to start stepping up,” said Horvat. “For myself, I have to be one of the guys who’s consistent on a games, one with Ottawa and two with Toronto, recording 95 tackles and six interceptions.
“A.J. is another veteran defensive back who brings a lot of tools to our team,” said Hervey. “He’s a skilled guy who understands the nuances of the corner position in our league. He’s also demonstrated the ability to make plays on the ball, which is something we definitely need more of this season.”
Another Eskimo joined the team as 5-11, 190-pound defensive back Garry Peters was added to the secondary. The Clemson product recorded 35 tackles in eight games with the Eskimos last season.
“Garry is a skilled defensive back who can play both the corner and halfback spots,” Hervey said of the 26-year-old, who played 19 games over two seasons with Edmonton, recording 59 defensive tackles and eight more on special teams.
“He’s young, physical and gives defensive co-ordinator Mark Washington some options and depth in the secondary.” day-to-day basis. If I can lead by example, I think the other young guys will follow.”
And that’s why these final 26 games are so much more than an end to another depressing season. Horvat, Baertschi and Hutton were part of the previous two collapses. Stecher, Granlund and Gudbranson were around last year. Injuries, to be sure, have played a part in some of their stories, but losing casts a wide net and all the Canucks’ 20-somethings have been tainted by the scarlet L.
“It’s the worst feeling in the world being out of it by February and just playing to keep on playing,” says Horvat.
Now, if you’re looking for a silver lining — which is a fulltime job with this team — the Canucks are coming off their most impressive performance of the season, a 6-0 clobbering of the Stars in Dallas on Sunday.
That win followed a playersonly meeting that followed a four-game losing streak and the players now say their minds are right.
Some of them were even talking about getting back in the playoff hunt, which is just all kinds of hopeful. The faithful, you sense, would settle for a respectable finish to this season.
“We have a lot of young guys playing for spots,” said Daniel Sedin. “That should be motivation enough.”
Yes it should.
Canadian linebacker Mitch Barnett and defensive back Dominique Termansen, both former UBC Thunderbirds, were also added to the roster.
The 6-1, 212-pound Barnet, the son of former Lions defensive back Bruce Barnett, was drafted in the seventh round of the 2016 CFL draft by the Tiger-Cats, and played in 29 games over the past two seasons, racking up 10 specialteams stops and a pair of defensive tackles.
The 5-11, 175-pound Termansen, a North Vancouver native, was signed as a free agent by the Alouettes in 2016. He had five specialteams tackles, four defensive stops and an interception over 27 games.
“Mitch and Dominique help improve our Canadian depth and have demonstrated the ability to play starting positions on defence,” said Hervey. “They love the physicality of their positions and they’ll make us notably better on special teams.”
Dave Tomlinson 7-9 a.m., The Bro Jake Show
Jason Botchford, 10 a.m., Halford and Brough
Alex Marvez 1;45 p.m., Donnie and The Moj
Laurence Gilman 4-6 p.m., Sekeres and Price
NBA, Toronto Raptors at Chicago Bulls, 5 p.m. SNOne; NCAA, North Carolina State at Syracuse, 6 p.m. PEACH.
LPGA, Australian Open, Round 1, 6 p.m. GOLF.; EPGA, Oman Open, Round 1, 2 a.m. GOLF.
NHL, Columbus Blue Jackets at Toronto Maple Leafs, 4 p.m. SNP, SNO, SNE, SNW; Florida Panthers at Vancouver Canucks, 7 p.m. SNP, SNO, SNE, SNW.
Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics, Curling (W), 12:30 p.m. SNP, SNO, SNE, SNW; Curling (W) Round Robin Canada vs. Korea Republic, 3:55 p.m. TSN4, TSN1, TSN3; Skeleton, Alpine Skiing (W) Slalom, Ice Hockey (M), Curling, 4 p.m. CBC; Figure Skating Pairs Free Final, Alpine Skiing (M) Super G Final, Skeleton (M), Speed Skating (W) 1000m Final, 5 p.m. NBC; Figure Skating Pairs Free, 5:25 p.m. TSN5; Figure Skating Pairs Free, 7 p.m. TSN4, TSN1; Ice Hockey (M) Finland vs. Germany, 7 p.m. TSN3; Snowboarding (M) Cross, 8:30 p.m. SNOne; Curling (M) Round Robin Canada vs. Norway, 8:55 p.m. TSN4, TSN1, TSN5; Snowboarding (M) Cross Final, Skeleton (M), 9:05 p.m. NBC; Curling (M) Round Robin Canada vs. Norway, 9:30 p.m. TSN3; Crosscountry Skiing (W), 10:30 p.m. SNP, SNO, SNE, SNW; Curling, Ice Hockey, 11 p.m. CBC; Ice Hockey (M) Norway vs. Sweden, Midnight TSN4, TSN1, TSN3, TSN5; Ice Hockey (W) Finland vs. Olympic Athletes from Russia, Midnight TSN2; Curling (W) Round Robin Canada vs. Sweden, 2:55 a.m. TSN4, TSN1, TSN3; Freestyle Skiing (W) Aerials Qualifying, 2:55 a.m. TSN5; Ice Hockey (M) Canada vs. Switzerland, 3 a.m. CBC; Speed Skating (M), Luge Mixed Team, 3 a.m. SNP, SNO, SNE, SNW; Biathlon (M), Luge Mixed Team, 3 a.m. SNOne; Ice Hockey (M) Switzerland vs. Canada, 4 a.m. TLN. Ice Hockey (M) Czech Rep. vs. Korea Rep., 4:15 a.m. TSN5.
UEFA, Champions League, Round of 16 Leg 1, Paris SaintGermain vs. Real Madrid, 11:30 a.m. TSN4, TSN5; Liverpool vs. Porto, 11:30 a.m. TSN1, TSN3.
ATP, ABN AMRO World Tournament, Early Round Day 3, 10:30 a.m. TSN2; Second Round, 2 a.m. TSN2.
PGA, Genesis Open, Round 1, 11 a.m. GOLF; LPGA, Australian Open, Round 2, 7 p.m. GOLF; EPGA, Oman Open, Round 2, 2 a.m. GOLF.
NHL, Los Angeles Kings at Pittsburgh Penguins, 4 p.m. SNP, SNO, SNE, SNOne; Calgary Flames at Nashville Predators, 5 p.m. SNW; Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights, 7 p.m. SNO, SNE, SNOne; Vancouver Canucks at San Jose Sharks, 7:30 p.m. SNP; Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights, 7:30 p.m. SNW.
Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics, Ice Hockey (M) Canada vs. Switzerland, 10 a.m. SNP, SNO, SNE, SNW; Curling (M, W), 1 p.m. NP, SNO, SNE, SNW; Skeleton (M), Snowboarding (M) Cross Final, Figure Skating Pairs Free Final, Curling, 4 p.m. CBC; Figure Skating (M) Short, 4:55 p.m. TSN3; Figure Skating (M) Short, Snowboarding (W) Cross Final, Skeleton (M) Final, Freestyle Skiing (W) Aerials, Cross-country Skiing (W) 10km Freestyle Final, 5 p.m. NBC; Ice Hockey (M) United States vs. Slovakia, 7 p.m. TSN4, TSN1;
Ice Hockey (M) United States vs. Slovakia, 7:30 p.m. TSN5; Curling (W) Round Robin Canada vs. Denmark, 8:55 p.m. TSN2; Cross-country Skiing (M) 15km Free Final, 9:55 p.m. TSN1, TSN3, TSN5. Jeux olympiques d’hiver de Pyeongchang 2018, 10 p.m. SRC; Ice Hockey (M) Olympic Athletes from Russia vs. Slovenia, 11 p.m. CBC; Cross-country Skiing (M) 15km Free Final, 11 p.m. TSN4; Speed Skating (W) 5000m Final, 2:55 a.m. TSN4, TSN1, TSN3, TSN5; Freestyle Skiing (W) Aerials Final, Curling (M) Canada vs. Korea Republic, 3 a.m. CBC; Curling (M), 3 a.m. SNP, SNO, SNE, SNW; Skeleton (W), Ski Jumping (M), 3 a.m. SNOne; Ice Hockey (M) Sweden vs. Germany, 4 a.m. TSN4, TSN5; Ice Hockey (M) Finland vs. Norway, 4 a.m. TSN1, TSN3.
UEFA, Europa League, Round of 32 Leg 1, Arsenal vs. Ostersunds, 10 a.m. TSN4; AC Milan vs. PFC Ludogorets Razgrad, 10 a.m. TSN1; Lokomotiv Moscow vs. OGC Nice, 10 a.m. TSN3; Braga vs. Olympique de Marseille, 10 a.m. TSN5; FC Zenit vs. Celtic, Noon TSN4; RB Leipzig vs. Napoli, Noon TSN1, TSN3; Dynamo Kiev vs. AEK Athens, Noon TSN5.